Dragons' shock victory (From Barry And District News)

Dragons' shock victory

MOTAQUOTE WELSH LEAGUE DIVISION ONE:

Barry Town 2

GRANGE QUINS 0

Just when you think the history of Barry Town AFC couldn't take on any more twists and turns, the club find themselves being forced to play a home match at Port Talbot's Victoria Road ground by the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

If that isn't dramatic enough, then how about Barry Town beating the title favourites 2-0 in an exciting game that had plenty of incident, with a team sprinkled with Barry Town academy boys?

With the prospect of 42,000 per annum rent hanging over Barry Town, and being told that the club will be refused entry to Jenner Park unless they stump up.

All credit should go to those who somehow managed to convince the powers that be into letting the tie take place at a neutral venue.

Without this fixture going ahead, Barry Town would certainly have faced a fine and the docking of three crucial points.

Credit must also go to the Welsh League itself, Grange Quins and the officials at Port Talbot who all wish to see football survive in Barry at a senior level.

Should Barry Town be forced to move away from their historic home since 1913, then quite where the council will find another club willing to run Jenner Park and pay the 42,000 rent is anybody's guess.

However, back to the football itself. A 2-0 victory over Grange Quins, from Cardiff, is a stunning result, and surely the best result for a Barry Town side since the professional team won at home in a Champions League qualifying round only last year!

That being said, Quins were far from difficult to play against, and actually looked pretty mediocre for large parts of the game.

It was though they expected to win the match simply by turning up, but Barry Town have proved to be their bogey team this season.

Having been knocked out of the League Cup by Barry and only taking the one point off the Dragons in two games in the league itself, this was the first time since that opening-day 0-0 draw that Quins had not registered a single goal.

At Port Talbot's Victoria Road ground, with its compact stand and low metal roof, 30 Barry fans (those lucky enough to hear of the late switch to Port Talbot) were able to make an awful lot of noise, with defiant, yet humorous singing and chanting for 90 minutes, to remind everyone present what supporting a football team is all about.

Make no mistake, Quins probably had the majority of the play, but they had precious few shots at all, let alone on target.

Having the majority of the play only counts if you can back it up by sticking a ball into the opposition's net.

Twice Barry Town did this, once in the first half, and once in the second to, if not derail their progress, then certainly give Quins' almost inevitable journey to the Championship a bit of a shuddering.

From a team featuring six players aged 19 or under, including the scorer of the second goal, Sean Nash, it was an exemplary performance that certainly did the club proud.

The club also has a tie-up with Barry Boys Comprehensive School and these young players are certainly look to be the ones to watch in the future.

This win kept Quins off top spot, but more importantly moved Barry Town back up into fifth position in the league, only five points behind League leaders Ton Pentre.

Barry Town are now without a game until January 8, when The Dragons take on Dinas Powys at The Murch.